Hi Everyone!

Welcome. Sounds like you are off to a good start. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

The biocube is a great tank. As for your future plans, I would caution you on what you are looking to put in the tank. 5 fish (especially when they are full grown) is going to be really tight in a biocube. Realistically, if you have a mated pair of snowflake clownfish will want to "own" roughly 25 gallons of water as their "home." I have a pair of black ocellaris clowns in my 20 gallon tank and the two of them will attack anything in sight, snails, hermits, emerald, me ... You might be ok with the royal gramma if you have some more rock so there are more caves etc. But, the flasher wrasse should have at least 50 gallons of water for swimming I think. About the manderine, you will need to find a way of cultivating food for them. Their metabolism requires constant food. So, if you want to keep them long term and not starve them, the need an established tank with like 50 gallons so that copepods and amphipods populations can keep up with consumption.

If you want to add more then a couple fish, I would look at the nano fish on liveaquaria for an idea of what kinds to put in. Some suggestions that would work nicely would be firefish, gobies, possum wrasses, etc. These might give you less hassle and more enjoyment in the long run. (Plus, it is also a nice excuse to get a larger tank for all the other pretty fish. lol.)

Most important suggestion .... read, read, read and take your time. The more research you do an the more time you tank, the better tanks typically develop. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

Welcome again and feel free to ask any questions.

Oh, and post some picks, we all love to see someones setup.

 

The fish that you picked IMO will be fine in the tank I don't think you will have any problems I have a mated pair of black ice clowns, tribal blenny, barnacle blenny, mated pair of blue stripe pipe fish and they all get along

 

Welcome to the forum and happy reefing. There are years of experience on here so ask away. Also search through old post, you may answer your own questions with a thread that was started years ago. I find myself doing that sometimes.

 

I do not feel the green mandarine will survive other then that you are off to a great start. Just wait till you start modding and customizing stuff.

 

Definitely be cautious of the mandarin... It's a shame that so many are imported in the hobby without people knowing what their diet needs are.

 

I would go for the mandarin, provided you have and can sustain a healthy pod population. You may want to look at an algae turf scrubber mod for your cube, a plethora of pods is one of the benefits.

Have fun with your build.

 

Have fun! It definitely is addicting.
My advice I would not run a 300 watt heater in that small of a tank, if the heater sticks on it will fry the tank. Half that wattage be sufficient best would be to use 2 75 watt heaters so if one fails it will not cook the tank. (most heaters fail in the on postion with the contacts stuck together when they fail) Also word of caution about putting it in the last chamber with the return pump. Due do evaporation if you do not keep it toped off daily the water level will drop in that chamber exposing the heater to air and could cause it to overheat and burn up. Your better off with it in the first or 2nd chambers which have a steady water level.

 

I have that tank and it's really nice for my little nook in the house. The fans in my lid were loud and the lights would overheat, so I took off the lid and went with a Coral Compulsion Par mount and 36w LED bulb. I also went with a hob skimmer because the included one was a pain.


You'll love it once things get going. Just take your time. And start with RO water! Learned that the hard way. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/biggrin.gif